The popularity of manga has never been as big as it is now. Not only is it easier than ever to read manga in the advent of simulpubs, but the overall quality of manga seems to have increased as well, with it being more common for manga to have incredible artwork and writing than it has been in ages.
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There’s never been a better time to be a manga fan, and that’s especially true when talking about some of the incredible newer hits available to read. A few new manga especially stand out, as each one can be seen as a defining new-gen manga and, best of all, a modern masterpiece in the making.
10) WITCHRIV
Hakuri’s WITCHRIV stars Nona, a young mage who hates having to hide her magic due to the public’s fear of mages. Unfortunately, Nona learns the hard way how bad having her identity exposed can be, and when her entire life is upended, she’ll do whatever it takes to set everything right.
It’s one thing for WITCHRIV to have stellar character designs and all-around great art, but with its clever action and strong character writing, the series has plenty of merit from a narrative perspective, as well. WITCHRIV has only been running for a few chapters, but with such a strong start, it will hopefully continue for years to come.
9) Parashoppers
In Tsubasa Fukuchi’s Parashoppers, Mitsusada Amaragi has suddenly been gifted the Parashop app, a mysterious phone app that grants the user superpowers in exchange for forcing them to compete in deadly games, and with his friends and the power to control straw, Amaragi vows to survive long enough to uncover the truth of it all.
Tsubasa Fukuchi is best known for creating the cult 2000s hit The Law of Ueki, and sure enough, Parashoppers does an even better job of being a quirky action series with a fun cast and clever fight choreography. With how new it is, Parashoppers is still a criminally underrated manga, but at this rate, that’s sure to change fairly soon.
8) Mao
In Rumiko Takahashi’s Mao, eight years after her parents died in an accident, Nanoka Kiba suddenly finds herself in Taisho-era Japan and running for her life from evil spirits. There, she meets a mysterious exorcist named Mao, and as it turns out, their circumstances might be more connected than either of them thought.
Rumiko Takahashi is one of the biggest names in manga, and sure enough, Mao is a welcome addition to her library with its strong action and even stronger mystery and character writing. Mao will be getting an anime in 2026, and hopefully, that will solidify its status as a manga everyone needs to read.
7) RuriDragon
In Masaoki Shindo’s RuriDragon, ordinary girl Ruri Aoki wakes up one day to find that horns have sprouted out of her head. Ruri’s mother casually explains that her dragon heritage from her father’s side has started to emerge, and now Ruri must deal with handling her new powers along with all the typical difficulties of being a high school girl.
RuriDragon excels for its unique take on the slice-of-life genre, and even a few years after the fact, it remains one of the most interesting stories to ever fall under the Shonen Jump label. The manga’s lengthy hiatus killed a lot of its momentum, but fortunately, the series is still as popular as ever with fans and critics.
6) Tower Dungeon
In Tsutomu Nihei’s Tower Dungeon, when an evil necromancer kidnaps the princess, everyone races to the dragon tower to save her for either duty or for the prize of the throne. Duty, of course, is the motivation for the Royal Guard, and their chances of success suddenly look good after adding the surprisingly competent Yuva to their ranks.
With its stellar action, haunting monster designs, and surprisingly fun and well-developed cast, Tower Dungeon is a dark fantasy series unlike any other. Tsutomi Nihei might be famous for sci-fi stories like Blame! and Knight of Sidonia, but Tower Dungeon shows that he’s a true master of his craft, no matter the genre.
5) Shinobi Undercover
In Ippon Takegushi and Santa Mitarashi’s Shinobi Undercover, a group of ninja must protect Aoi Mukai, a seemingly ordinary high schooler, from fugitive ninja looking to kidnap her. For the socially awkward Yodaka, he’s happy just watching from afar, but all of that changes when he accidentally takes the role of Aoi’s best friend and is forced into the spotlight.
While the creators’ previous work, Candy Flurry, was a massive failure, not only has Shinobi Undercover gone on far longer, but with its combination of great action, engaging characters, and hilarious comedy, it’s a far better work in every right. It’s easily one of the best manga running in Shonen Jump right now, and that’s unlikely to change anytime soon.
4) The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You
In Rikito Nakamura’s and Yukiko Nozawa’s The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You, after Rentaro Aijou suffers 100 rejections, he’s told by the God of Love that he will gain 100 soulmates in high school, but he must find a way to love them equally or else risk killing them for depriving them of a soulmate.
Between its impeccable parody-laden writing and genuinely heartwarming romances and friendships, The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You is a harem manga unlike any other and easily the best of its kind. Season 3 of the 100 Girlfriends anime is coming soon, and that’s bound to make it bigger than it’s ever been before.
3) Ichi The Witch
Osamu Nishi and Shiro Usazaki’s Ichi the Witch stars Ichi, a young hunter who, after killing a creature called a Majik, gains magical powers and is inducted into the world of witchcraft, an act that’s treated as a marvel both because of the power of the Majik and because magic was supposed to be exclusively for women.
With its gorgeous artwork and perfect balance of comedy, drama, and heart, Ichi the Witch has been a massive success from day one, and it’s quickly taken the world by storm. In the absence of My Hero Academia and Jujutsu Kaisen, Ichi the Witch has become one of the pillars of Shonen Jump, and that’s nothing but great to see.
2) Kagurabachi
Takeru Hokazono’s Kagurabachi stars Chihiro Rokuhira, the son of a legendary blacksmith who created six deadly magical swords called enchanted blades. One day, Chihiro’s father was killed, and the blades were stolen, but with the secret seventh enchanted blade, Chihiro will hunt down the other six and avenge his father’s death.
While Kagurabachi was originally a source of mockery for its perceived edginess, all of that changed as the manga stylish action and surprisingly great writing made it a genuine hit and a worldwide phenomenon seemingly overnight. Kagurabachi is easily the biggest manga in Shonen Jump right now, and it’s only going to get bigger from here.
1) Gachiakuta
In Kei Urana’s Gachiakuta, after being accused of murdering his father and being banished to a trash-infested wasteland known as the Pit, Rudo discovers that he’s a Giver, someone who can imbue a treasured object with supernatural abilities, and from there, Rudo swears to use his powers to return to his home and exact revenge against everyone who wronged him.
With its stylish artwork, creative fight scenes, and a great cast of heroes and villains, Gachiakuta is an amazing manga, and it’s only gotten better with each new development. Between the manga and the anime, there’s been a major push to make Gachiakuta the next big thing among new-gen manga, and hopefully, it will more than pay off.
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Image courtesy of Focus Features.
